SAFE DRIVING IN BAD CONDITIONS - STAYING SAFE ON THE ROADS

More motorists lose their lives or are seriously injured during the winter months than at any other time of the year. While practicalities - sound tyres, ample fuel, adequate anti-freeze and a clear windscreen are essential to check before setting off, winter motorists should also address their driving technique. To help gear up and face the challenges of poor driving conditions, we'd suggest the following:

Rain

Annually, around 250,000 road accidents are reported in Great Britain. Remarkably, over a third of those incidents tend to take place during wet weather conditions when both visibility and road surface quality are obviously poor.





Keep your speed down for safety, and avoid water splashing under your bonnet. Rain can cause problems with electronic control units of almost all petrol engines, affecting engine management systems, coils, distributors and leads.

Beware of aquaplaning. If you are driving at speed, you may experience a build up of water between the tyre and the road surface. In these cases, your tyre loses contact with the road, and is simply sliding forwards on a thin film of water. Ease off the accelerator but do not brake or change direction: if you are aquaplaning, you will have no control over either.

Check the condition of your wiper-blades. Look for splits and perishing rubber.

Use dipped headlights in conditions of poor visibility.

To help clear the curtain of spray from other vehicles, select the correct windscreen wiper speed.Fog



Of the 2,800 vehicles to be caught out in ...